Carbamate insecticide bendiocarb induces complex embryotoxic effects, including morphological, behavioral, transcriptional, and immunological alterations in zebrafish
Julianna Kobolák
Szilárd Póliska
Zsolt Csenki
András Ács
István Szabó
Tamás Müller
Ádám Staszny
Zoltán K. Varga
Gyöngyi Gazsi
Márta Tóth
Márta Reining
Róbert Kovács
Apolka Domokos
Zsófia Varga
Erna Vásárhelyi
Eszter Váradi
Bence Ivánovics
Zoltán Filep
Zsolt Czimmerer
Ferenc Baska
Attila Bácsi
Béla Urbányi
Publication Name: Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology and Pharmacology
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: 299
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The emergence and spread of vector-borne diseases necessitate the increased use of insecticides, such as carbamates, raising concerns about their potential toxicological risks to non-target organisms, including humans. Bendiocarb, frequently applied in indoor spraying operations and detected in maternal and fetal circulation, warrants particular attention for its developmental toxicity. This study aimed to assess transcriptional and phenotypic effects of sublethal bendiocarb exposure at concentrations of 0.035, 0.2, 0.4, 0.75, and 1.5 mg/L, using zebrafish embryos, a vertebrate model for developmental toxicity testing. Our analyses revealed acetylcholinesterase inhibition-associated morphological and behavioral abnormalities, including reduced locomotor activity in response to both visual and tactile stimuli, as well as impaired non-associative learning. Transcriptomic analysis indicated activation of muscle, immune, and metabolic pathways, while neurodevelopmental, phototransduction, and cell proliferation processes were suppressed. Consistent with these molecular findings, structural damage was observed in the retina, skeletal muscle, and notochord. Furthermore, bendiocarb exposure disrupted neutrophil granulocyte distribution and impaired inflammatory responses. Altogether, our results provide new insights into the embryotoxic effects of bendiocarb, highlighting its potential to disrupt early vertebrate development. These findings provide mechanistic insight that may support more informed evaluations of potential public health risks associated with developmental exposure to carbamates.
Open Access: Yes
Authors - 22
Julianna Kobolák
17634875800
Szilárd Póliska
26041037400
Zsolt Csenki
35783847300
András Ács
36105737000
István Szabó
55107037500
Tamás Müller
55418517200
Ádám Staszny
55644153800
Zoltán K. Varga
56002887000
Gyöngyi Gazsi
56732987700
Márta Tóth
56942979800
Márta Reining
57070405400
Róbert Kovács
57190851686
Apolka Domokos
57200546013
Zsófia Varga
57203070460
Erna Vásárhelyi
57218694189
Eszter Váradi
57219386599
Bence Ivánovics
57221684630
Zoltán Filep
60158315800
Zsolt Czimmerer
6508185624
Ferenc Baska
6602166135
Attila Bácsi
6602461721
Béla Urbányi
7003617654